The journey by sea

If the many diaries kept are to be believed, as many as nine out of 10 captains were incompetent and the promised travel time of 30 days was rarely met. In spite of this, and the unavoidable crowding of travel by sea, 15,000 people took this route in 1849 and investors for the journey were easy to find. Total per-person documented costs ranged from under $600 to over $1,200.

Changes made to ships
Given the tremendous profits to be made by transporting people to California, entrepreneurs set about converting all types of ships into charter ships. Large and slow-travelling cargo ships like the one below were patched up, given rudimentary make-overs and set to sea. Here are some of the modifications made.

Making money on charter ships

30 cabin berths could be sold at $350 each on a typical converted cargo ship. Seventy below-deck bunks could be sold at $250 each. The total charter would gross $30,000, three times the normal gross. Revenue was $28,000, not counting revenue from freight.

The tip of Cape Horn
Winds were frigid and fierce. Ships were often pulled far south toward the Antarctic.

The Strait of Magellan
An experienced captain could shave weeks off the journey if he was familiar enough with the strait to avoid cross currents, riptides, sudden storms, craggy cliffs and reefs.

The route from China
Most Chinese crossed the ocean in small boats, or junks, packed with bunks, without light or ventilation. The cost of the four to eight week voyage by steamer from Canton to San Francisco was $50.

Sources: "The Great American Gold Rush" by Rhoda Blumberg, "The Gold Rush" by Liza Ketchum, "The California Gold Rush," published by American Heritage, "The California Gold Rush" by Elizabeth Van Steenwyk, "Hunting for Gold" by William Downie, "Sea Routes to the Gold Fields" by Oscar Lewis, "If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon" by Ellen Levine, "The East Indiamen" by Russell Miller, Steve and Eric Chrissman of the National Nautical Heritage Society